Product description

Written by eminent scholar David O. Ross, this guide helps readers to engage with the poetry, thought, and background of Virgil's great epic, suggesting both the depth and the beauty of Virgil's poetic images and the mental images with which the Romans lived. * Guides readers through the complexity of Virgil's poetic style and imagery * All extracts are translated, with original Latin given when necessary * Provides useful historical and social context in which to understand the poem as it was viewed in its time * Includes short introductions to important topics such as Roman religion and the Roman concept of 'character' * Features a helpful appendix which clarifies how to read and hear the poem's Latin hexameter

Author information

David O. Ross is Emeritus Professor of Classics at the University of Michigan. He is author of Style and Tradition in Catullus (1969), Backgrounds to Augustan Poetry: Gallus, Elegy, and Rome (1975), and Virgil's Elements: Physics and Poetry in the Georgics (1987).

Review quote

"I believe that everyone-professional academic, student, or layperson-will benefit from Ross's lyrical and insightful reading of Vergil's great poem." (Bryn Mawr Classical Review, March 2009) "The book says a great many things that need to be said, or said again. It does not seek controversy and avoids much that is easily available elsewhere. What it does say is largely familiar, even comfortable, but it is well said, clear, detailed, moderate." (New England Classical Journal, February 2009) "Beautifully conceived and nuanced guide...the depth, sensitivity, and accessibility of the volume make it worthy companion to its predecessors. Ross explicates...with exquisite care and clarity." (Choice) "The ideas and arguments presented in this work are thought provoking." (Journal of Classics Teaching)

Back cover copy

Written by eminent scholar David O. Ross, this guide helps readers to engage with the poetry, thought, and background of Virgil's great epic, suggesting both the depth and the beauty of Virgil's poetic images and the mental images with which the Romans lived. The book discusses in detail important illustrative passages in their poetic, historical, and intellectual contexts. Ross includes short introductions to key topics such as Roman religion and the Roman concept of "character," as well as a valuable appendix that clarifies how to read and hear the poem's Latin hexameter. This expertly written guide is an indispensable companion for anyone reading "Virgil's Aeneid" for the first time, in Latin or translation, and for readers seeking a deeper understanding of this classic epic poem.